Access 2010: Export a Database Table to Excel 2010

To export a table from Access 2010 to Excel 2010, select the table in Access, open the External Data tab, and choose Excel in the Export group. Set a destination workbook, choose whether Access should include the table's current formatting and layout, and click OK. Access creates a separate Excel copy; later edits in Excel do not update the Access table.

The steps below use the classic Access 2010 ribbon. Microsoft's current export guide covers Access 2016 and later, so some dialog wording or available formats may differ in Access 2010. The central path remains External Data > Excel. See Microsoft's Export data to Excel guide for current documentation on the export options and common data-transfer issues.

Prepare the table and workbook

In the Navigation Pane, locate the table you want to copy. If you plan to export only certain records, open the table in Datasheet view and select those rows before starting. Check the table for errors and decide whether the export should contain the whole underlying table or only the data currently displayed.

Close the destination workbook if it is already open. If you want to protect other worksheets in an existing workbook, export to a new filename instead. A formatted export to an existing workbook can replace the workbook's existing worksheets.

Export an Access 2010 table to Excel

1. Select the source table. Click the table name in the Navigation Pane. Access exports one database object at a time, so repeat the process for each table you need.
2. Open the Excel export dialog. Choose External Data > Excel. In the Export - Excel Spreadsheet dialog, browse to a folder and enter a workbook name. For Excel 2010, choose an Excel Workbook format such as .xlsx when available.

3. Choose what Access should include. Select Export data with formatting and layout to carry the source object's display formatting. For a table or query, this exports the fields and records currently displayed: filtered-out records and hidden datasheet columns are left out. Clear filters and unhide columns first if you need a complete formatted export. If you leave this option unchecked, Access exports all fields and records in the underlying table and ignores its Format property settings.
4. Choose whether to open the result. Select Open the destination file after the export operation is complete if you want Access to launch the workbook when it finishes. If you selected rows in an open datasheet, use Export only the selected records to export just those rows; leave it unchecked to export all records shown in the view.
5. Run the export. Click OK and wait for Access to finish. If you chose to open the destination, Excel starts with the exported worksheet.

The formatting choice affects more than appearance. With formatting, lookup fields can show their displayed values and hyperlinks remain links. Without formatting, lookup fields export their underlying ID values, and hyperlink contents appear as text. Check this setting before exporting if the workbook will be shared with someone who needs to read the data without Access.

Save the export steps only if you will reuse them

After a successful export, Access may show an Export Data to Excel Spreadsheet completion screen. Select Save export steps if you want to store the source, destination, and options as a reusable export specification, then give it a recognizable name if prompted. Otherwise, click Close. Saving these steps makes the export easier to run again; it does not turn the workbook into a live link to Access. Microsoft explains the saved specification in its guide to saving import or export details.

Check the Excel workbook for expected data

Compare the worksheet's headers and a few sample records with the Access table. Confirm the row count, dates, IDs, and any filtered or hidden fields that matter. If you used formatting and the workbook is missing columns or rows, return to Access, show the required columns, clear filters, and export again. For small formatting corrections, use Excel's Format Cells options after the export.

What may not transfer exactly

• Calculated fields: Excel receives the calculated result, not the Access expression or a matching Excel formula.
• Attachments and embedded objects: Access attachments and OLE object data are not exported as worksheet content; add needed files separately.
• Multiple-value fields: Values may be combined into a semicolon-separated list in one cell.
• Older dates: Microsoft's export guidance notes that dates earlier than January 1, 1900 may appear blank in the worksheet.
• Workbook size: Excel 2010 supports up to 1,048,576 rows per worksheet in modern workbook formats. The older .xls format is limited to 65,536 rows, so choose .xlsx for larger tables. See Microsoft's worksheet size guidance.

If Excel is meant to hold a one-time analysis or report, exporting is a straightforward way to create that copy. If the data must stay current, export it again when needed or use a supported import/link workflow rather than assuming an exported workbook will refresh from Access.